Clothespin



J. MOKEN.

CLOTHESPIN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY13, 1919.

Patented Feb. 10,1920.

HHH I IHI IIIIIIIII|1 q a the following is a specification.

UNITED sTA Es PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH MOKEN,- OF'NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

GLOTHESPIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

Application filed May .13, 1919. Serial No. 296,824.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH MOKEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Clothespins, of which This invention relates to an improved clothespin that is used with facility, has

number of recesses that permit its being placed over a clothesline, the multiplicity of these recesses permitting the use of the clothespin after a number of the prongs or fingers have been damaged or broken, and also permit the use of the clothespin for joining pieces of fabric so that, if desired, a series of garments or pieces of goods can be suspended from one another, thus economizing on the clothesline necessary forthe suspension of the goods.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a clothespin made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom View of the clothespin illustrated in Fig. -1, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section showing the pin used for joining two pieces of fabric.

The clothespin is preferably made of wood and consists of a main or body portion 10, preferably cylindrical on the outside and provided with a series of fingers, one of which is a central finger and the other fingers are placed around it and spaced from the center finger and from each other.

In the form shown, the fingers 11, 12 and 13 are arranged in spaced relation" around the central finger or 'pin 1-1, this being usually done by in king the saw cuts 15, 16 and 17, these saw cuts providing the spaces provided for the rece ation of the'clothesline when a pin .is placed over the line and pressed down, there being enough resiliency in the wood, as in the ordinary form of clothespin, to grasp the line. To facilitate the placing of the pin, the marginal or outer fingers 11., 12 and 13 are provided with beveled or rounded parts 18, thus making converging openings between the fingers and also between .the fingers and the central finger or pin 14.

The central finger is rounded or beveled, as at 19, merging'the triangular cross-sectional shape toward the bottom into a chiseled end 20, although various and different shapes can be given to the lower part of the central finger, as will be clearly understood.

The upper part of the clothespinis left plaln or can be provided with a suitable grasping head or knob to provide for its manlpulation. The clothespin can be used in other ways than as an ordinary clothespin, inasmuch as it can be employed to 10m the ends, especially at the side edges,

1 of two garments or sheets of fabric, so that,

if desired, one can be suspended from the other. 7

In Fig. 3 I show a. sheet 21 and also a sheetQQ, the ends of which are passed over around the central finger 14 and out through openings that flank the opening opposite the point of the triangular post over which the ends of the fabric are passed. In this way there is enough binding action on the fabrics to cause them to be held together, and

I have found that when placed horizontally have illustrated and prefer a clothespin with a central finger, triangular in crosssection, and surrounding fingers having a fiat wall. opposite to the corresponding wall of the central finger, this permitting a somewhat broad form of outer or surrounding finger, giving itthe necessary strength and. through its comparatively thin form, having the proper degree of resiliency.

I claim:

A clothespin comprising a central finger triangular in cross-section, and an outside finger opposite each face of the central finger and spaced therefrom, the outside fingers being spaced from each other.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereto set my hand, this 10th day of May, 1919.

JOSEPH MOKEN. 

